Hi ALL been out a few times now and it has been hard work for me and just thought i`d ask how mtb`ing was like for you the first few times times out? Feel hacked that i can`t keep up was it like that for you?. thanks for any posts need a boost

Everybody takes different amounts of time to develop their fitness, provided there are no health issues then patience and hard work will eventually get you there.

As you will have noticed the cyclone group is very good when it comes to waiting for people who are still struggling, so as soon as you are able to hang around the back of the "gentler pace" group then just hang on and your fitness will improve on its own.

If you are finding it hard to reach that stage then I would suggest some extra riding, even just some interval work up and down your own street, you know what they say; a little, often, is normally better than alot all at once.

The key thing is not to give up (obviously I don't mean you should carry on riding if you think you are going to pass out), stay off that "slippery slope" and join us on the mud, rock and root covered ascent.

We want to watch you transform.

Btw, I know I have not exactly answered your original question but I thought I throw some encouragement your way.

A Wednesday evening with PostieDave and Smegger I really struggled to keep up wheezing and coughing my lungs up all the way. Just keep riding regularly and the fitness will come.The trails at Woburn are quite techincal in places which when you are not used to riding them it takes a lot out of your energy levels.

So keep at it!

One thing you have to remember is just because you don't see the others at the front looking like they are going to pass out and die. There is a good chance thats how they felt when they got to the top of the hill the same as you

When you start out in any sport/fitness thingy its always going to be hard - but just keep on trying! As with the previous post all we can say is dont give up and just jump on your bike as much as possible - either on the road or around woburn (and get lost like the rest of us!!!!).

I cycle around woburn with a friend from work during the week and he is a fitness freak............i have problems keeping up with him and feel slightly frustrated when after a big climb when he has been at the top for a while and fully recuperated whilst I am trying to find a new lung!But I am getting better - both in technique and fitness - it just takes time

Just try to get on your bike as much as possible - if you want to keep it varied try other forms of sport like circuit training, yoga, running, aerobics etc to keep it fun and varied!

spot on answers, ive nearly passed out on a night ride there (wobourn) , and just held my breakfast down a fair few times,keep on keping on and it will click for you, its hard ,it gets easier and then you make it hard again on purpose, (somtimes),

Nobody is exempt from the initial struggle. I remember my first ride, 15th January 2009, ground frozen and I was stunned how many people turned out. I was just getting over Pneumonia and it was hard work, but most enjoyable and great to spend time with other people interested in bikes.

As time went by, the fitness and the skills came. I ride the Milton Keynes Millennium circular loop about 2-3 times a week and it helps a lot with the fitness. details here I can get round in 55 minutes now If anyone is interested in discovering the loop, I'm more than happy to show some round one evening. It's 99% off road and quite an enjoyable ride.

The thing about cycling is, "It don't get any easier, you just go faster"

Try starting out on a 1 inched steerer fully ridged with cantilver brakes and tyres so badly designed they never seemed to shed any mud. Very badly fitting helmets, flat pedals with toe straps, its a wonder anyone survived those when used off road. Top it off with visit from the cycling fashion police adding dayglo colours and purple anodising everywhere.

Now take all that and throw it down a big hill as fast as you dare only stopping to drink from a muddly puddle and lick gravel rash out your knees.

Hiya Dave, I can sympathise with your situation somewhat as despite riding regularly for th elast 6 years I am getting my legs ripped off every Tuesday by the veteran racing league (Criterium/Road racing).

Try to get out for a couple of rides during the week and keep on coming back on a Sunday and you will get there in the end. Oh and be patient with yourself, you will be doing this for a good few years yet!

Well Dave here are a few pointers to hopefully help you and others like you along a little.

The very best thing to do is to keep at it. There's no substituting time on your bike.

Never be afraid to ask the leader to slow the ride down if you are feeling the pressure, odds on others are feeling it also and will welcome someone being brave enough to say. It can be hard leading a big group of people and the leader may not always be aware your struggling, especially if your trying your hardest and making a good show of it. .However there is something to be said for riding a little outside your comfort zone every so often.

Ask the ride leader to ride a section whilst you watch it if you'd like pointers then ask them to watch you and give constructive help/advise.

Ask a long standing member to advise on your bike set up. We can all soldier on blindly with a bike that could do with a tweak here and there. You can always ask someone about doing this on another day rather than a Sunday most will be will to happy to spare their time.

Ask questions however odd they seem. We none of us know everything!

Vary your rides. A bit of interval work helps loads. Race your mates for lamp posts and other such makers along the way, this is a great roadie trick and far more interesting than the standard interval work, makes for good sport too.

Gradually up the distance you ride.

Set yourself little goals like maybe one Sunday a month you ride to the club ride rather than drive.

Ride to work if its practical to do so.

Ride with people fitter and more technically adept, you will have to work a little harder and up your game but you'll never improve without putting in a little effort. Watch how other more experianced riders tackle things.

Ride a techincal section more than once in a ride, ride/push up and do it again until you've really nailed it.

Select your gears in plenty of time for whatever your about to ride. Never ride hard into a hill, spin up gently in a seated position and conserve your energy. Use the granny ring thats what its there for.

Enter a few events perhaps a CRC marathon (25k to start) I use these a lot myself. They give me a focus and reason to up my game and get out and ride especially in the colder months.

Relax! bend your arms and legs to soften the trails.Chin up and look where your going (i speak from personal and painfully experiance).Heels down! gives you more power when climbing and pushs the back of the bike down when jumping(ask Speedy Daz or Mark P).

Firstly and lastly its mostly about time on the bike.......

Hope any of this helps.

Lg

PS the video with this months MBR is very good, if you havent already go buy it.

Last edited by Little Gav on 2011-06-14, 06:04; edited 1 time in total

You will be very welcome, as will anyone else. The good thing about it being a circular ride is that we can pick people up at multiple points on the route, so most living in MK could ride from home and back

I will never forget my first outing on my bike 3 years ago, I was so unfit I was walking every climb and living in North Wales and that meant alot of walking lol! The standing joke at the time was I would be taking my bike for a walk.

It does come with time and spending more time on the bike however for me the biggest change has been my nutrition. With help I've completely overhauled what I eat and realised that input=output! By eating the foods that give me the right energy I can get that extra time on the bike and now think about my technical skills instead of feeling like Im gonna pass out and cant make it to the end. Ive enjoyed reading this thread as its a great reminder of what I should be doing, must remember - heals down! lol In addition to everyone's suggestions above I hope my following suggestions help too:

- Look at your Nutrition - Input=output and also helps with faster recovery times during and after ride. Also eat and refuel properly within an hour after every ride to help your body repair itself and recover faster.- Lessen the weight you carry in your backpack if you can depending on where you are riding (I carried everything under the sun and my backpack was so heavy)- Constantly eat small amounts throughout the ride to keep your energy up and you dont hit an empty tank with no return-Try using different energy drinks to see if any work for you. Again this may depend on the length of the ride.- Try to keep your core muscles toned up/strong (even a short work out at home a few times a week will help). This will help with overall stability on the bike and inturn improve efficiency.- I have found its all about trying to make rider and bike as efficient as possible and it really is trial and error finding out what works best for yourself. Its not an overnight fix and its taken me months and is still a work in progress as still got a long way to go to where I want to be.

Stick with it! Its a great sport to be in and like everyone has said, there is plenty of people happy to help and support so dont be afraid to tap into their knowledge and you will soon find that you are helping others!

That circular route sounds good. I'll join you guys for that one evening.

As for MTB being a struggle at the start, I'd agree with everything said so far. Don't think you're alone though - I've been mountain biking for over 20 years, since the good ole days that Gav describes, and I still feel like I'm gonna puke at the top of most hills on a Sunday morning!

Oh good godIt's started already...... Martins FORGOTTEN we're going out on the 23rd!!!! And I've booked my son in tobabysit. Well I suppose it's taken him nearly3 years of knowing me to get our relationship to THIS stateHuh mumble mumble mumble